Category: Mountain Standard News

Filipino Community Christian Church

New Pastors to the Mountain Standard Region

This past year we have had the privilege of welcoming many new pastors to the Mountain Standard Region. We would like to introduce you to some of them.  

Brian Lum at Longview Bible Fellowship in Longview, AB 

• Provide a brief introduction to yourself and your family.

I am originally from Duncan on Vancouver Island and, on my father’s side, am a 5th generation Chinese Canadian. I have been married to Tracey for over 37 years. We have two children and four grandchildren. 

• What church are you ministering at and when did you start there?

I am serving in a part-time position at Longview Bible Fellowship. I began doing some pulpit supply last fall but was asked to come on as pastor in April. 

• Where were you serving before your current role?

I was formerly the national director for Christianity Explored. In regards to pastoral ministry, I most recently served as the pastor of an English congregation in a Chinese Church with the CNBC in Edmonton. I previously served in CBWC churches in Fort St. John BC, where I was first ordained, and in Calgary. 

• What are you excited about in your new role?

Although the church is very small and in a very small community, there are many opportunities to make an impact in the community and in people’s lives. We are the only church in town, so my role is to serve as the community pastor. Because I am relational and love to teach the Bible, this seemed like a nice fit. 

•  Share some of your hobbies. What do you like to do when you are not working?

I love to spend time with my wife traveling, enjoying life and food. I spend as much time with my grandkids and other family members as possible. In my spare time, I like to read, cook, and work in my shop making things out of wood. 

Terrance Favero at Jasper Park Fellowship 

• Provide a brief introduction to yourself and your family.

I am 45 years old and just going into my MDiv degree at Carey College. I have been married for 15 years and have two wonderful boys, William and Edward, aged 13 and 11. We have recently moved to Jasper from Fort Saskatchewan, where we lived for almost 20 years. 

• What church are you ministering at and when did you start there?

I am ministering at Jasper Park Baptist Fellowship, and my start date was September 15th, 2025. 

• Where were you serving before your current role?

I was serving before but not in a paid position. Since the relocation of our Pastor in Fort Saskatchewan Community Baptist, I stepped up to help with pulpit supply and was on the board of deacons for almost three years. I also served in children’s ministry and with maintenance around the church and its property. 

• What are you excited about in your new role?

I’m excited to see what God has for me and my family in the near future as we get settled into our new roles in Jasper. I am also excited to serve the small community of Jasper and encourage it spiritually. They have had a rough go over the past year, and I am blessed to be a part of the rebuild. I am excited for the church and where they are being led. I’m pleased to support the ministries and just be a safe place for the community to grow and heal. I am also looking forward to nurturing relationships with the surrounding churches from different denominations, bringing the people of Christ together in unity. I know we have differences, but we all follow the same Person. There is enough division in the world, and we do not need more within the community of Christians.  

• Share some of your hobbies. What do you like to do when you are not working?

I love to hike or bike. There is sense of peace that I feel in the presence of God while surrounded by creation. I also like spending time with my family, whether it’s a quick bike ride or swimming at the local pool. I enjoy building connection with the people that we love and care for. I enjoy working out and keeping myself as healthy as I can in this fast-paced world. And after it’s all said and done, if I can sit down with a good book or watch a movie to relax, everything else is all worthwhile. 

Kurtis Kent at First Baptist Church Ponoka 

• Provide a brief introduction to yourself and your family.

My name is Kurtis Kent, and my wife is Cindy. We have been serving in all aspects of ministry for over 20 years now—15 of the 20 years have been in pastoral ministry. We have three boys. Our eldest is Dawson Kent, 26, who is a grade 9 high school teacher in Hartland, NB. He is married to Jessicah, and they have a baby girl named Elle Elizabeth Kent who is almost a year old. Our second son, Jacob, is 22 years old and is a carpenter in Woodstock, NB. Our last boy is Micah Kent,17 years old, and he is in the Kaleo program in Duncan, BC. 

• What church are you ministering at and when did you start there?

We are ministering at First Baptist Church in Ponoka, AB as of October 1st, 2025. 

• Where were you serving before your current role?

We served at Waterville United Baptist Church in Waterville, NB, which is a CBAC church, for over 11 years. 

• What are you excited about in your new role?

We are excited to see souls saved in Jesus’ name and to see people challenged and changed in Jesus’ name. We are also excited to meet all the people of the church individually and to love them and care for them as shepherds in Christ. We look forward to ministering in our community and showing them the love of Christ. This world needs Jesus, and we just want to be His hands and feet.  

• Share some of your hobbies. What do you like to do when you are not working?

My wife and I love the outdoors. We love to have bonfires, camp, explore, travel, and just experience and see new things. I love to hunt and fish, and I can’t wait to hunt deer, prairie chickens and pheasants this Fall. 

Retirement from Jasper: Roy Nickel’s Reflections 

I’ve never retired before, so I don’t know what I’m doing! 

I’ve seen friends “retire” numerous times! I’d like to retire once. Some say retirement is busier than working, I hope not!! 

Some communities see an 80% turnover in clergy within three years of a disaster. Jasper saw a complete turnover, though not directly attributable to the fire. The Pentecostal pastor retired in June 2024, just before the fire. The United Church minister moved on this spring. We’d tentatively targeted July 2025 for retiring, so my departure was in the works before the fire. I’m grateful to have been on hand in the aftermath, present to provide leadership and continuity to Jasper Park Baptist Fellowship, especially having seen other groups struggle, seemingly rudderless. 

JPBF served Jasper by housing Team Rubicon, providing staff accommodation, & hosting Jasper Helping Hands (donation centre). They will also provide housing for a contractor’s personnel. Steve, Ingrid & the KURIOS team made amazing contributions to the church and town! People from the other churches and the community attended services, seeking answers. I was particularly humbled when the United and Pentecostal churches cancelled their services to attend my retirement Sunday! What a blessing!  

We have relocated to High River, where we owned a house, and are close to our grown children and their families. We are enjoying a freer schedule and resuming old friendships. 

THANK YOU to our CBWC family and other churches, individuals and businesses worldwide, as well as Samaritan’s Purse, for donations, encouragement, support, advice, and work teams. You helped see our church through a tumultuous year. I’m grateful that the church family is in a stable position to welcome a new pastor. We continue to pray for them as they look ahead Jasper’s rebuild and many opportunities for witness, service, and Kingdom-building for our Lord Jesus Christ! 

Working with Church Boards 

By Tim Kerber

Earlier this year, I was planning a trip into the Peace Country (Northern Alberta), which, for those of you from other provinces who may not know Alberta’s geography, meant a trip that would take 6-8 hours of driving one way!  The challenge, of course, is that on a weekend trip I can only be present in one church on a Sunday morning. As I began to think about how to maximize my time on trips like this, the idea of hosting a board development seminar came to be.   

When I floated the idea with our Peace Country Cluster Group, there was interest, and so—along with an invitation from Jonathan Amendt at Taylor, BC to host an event—I got to work.   

When the trip finally came to be, we had 4 churches and 20 people signed up to come and join us for a Saturday morning in Taylor. The idea behind the seminar was that we wanted to give local church volunteers some important and practical tools that they could take back to their congregations.   

Our morning was split up into three, hour-long sessions. Each session involved a teaching component, along with some small group reflection, and then a large group sharing time. This meant that each individual church group would get a few minutes to process the information for their specific context.   

The three sessions included:  spiritual leadership, practical leadership, and visionary leadership. Spiritual leadership looked at how scripture calls us to lead, and what this looks like for boards who are often very driven by the needs and priorities of the day. Practical leadership looked at some of the important facets of leading an organization to minimize risk, improve communication, and ensure consistency over time. Finally, Visionary leadership looked at how our present choices, and the way we do things, affects vision. How do we ensure that vision leads to actual change and not just new words in a manual or on the wall?   

Once we completed the three sessions we gathered and enjoyed lunch, where we were able to carry on some of the conversations we had begun earlier. It was great to watch leaders ‘cross-pollinate’ from different churches! My hope is that each group went home with one or two ideas that they believed they would be able to implement in their specific settings.  

Of course, in three hours, these topics can only be touched upon, but the session was well-received and opens the door to more in-depth seminars down the road.   

The seminar went so well that I am now offering it as an opportunity for the other regions in our province.  

If you would like to find out more, or have any questions, please feel free to reach out. If this might be something of use where you are, I’d be happy to chat further. 

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Hannah Hamm: hhamm@cbwc.ca.

Prayer That Changes the World

By Tim Kerber, MSR Regional Minister 

Some of my favourite Bible stories are found in the middle of the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. There we find the stories of Elijah; drought and provision, the widow of Zarephath, and the raising of her son, to name a few. But perhaps the best story of all is in chapter 18, and Elijah confronting Ahab and the prophets of Baal. This is a story I’ve always thought would make a great movie. The 450 prophets challenged to call upon their gods to bring fire from heaven. But after trying everything they could imagine, yelling and pleading, causing harm to themselves… nothing. So, when they have nothing left to give, Elijah simply prays: 

“Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 

As I’ve gotten older, the drama of this story has become less important, and I’ve reflected more on how often I’ve approached God a lot like the prophets of Baal. No, I’ve never sought to worship other gods, but I have at times thought that when I prayed, I was needing to try to get God’s attention. I’ve lived through seasons where I was quite sure, God didn’t have time for the little things in our lives. After all, the world is a big place, and there are some serious things going on that I can only imagine would be of more importance than my life. (I remember being annoyed as a teenager when I would hear other people pray about little things….) Why would I waste God’s time with my cares and worries? So at times I have tied my efforts, my good works, my struggles with sin, to my sense of whether God really had time for my prayers. I thought I needed to prove my worth to God, to get His attention. James says that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective (5:16). I often felt like I came to prayer broken and helpless, not righteous. Did God really hear me? 

But I am grateful that God has, over the past number of years, been doing a wonderful work in my prayer life. I’ve gone back to the Elijah story and began to pray with a quiet confidence, and faith that God is working, trusting that my Father recognizes my voice. Recently, I had the opportunity to preach from Philippians 4 which says this about prayer: 

‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’. 

My prayers today are so much less “worried” than they once were. The Lord is near. I trust that not only are my prayers changing me, but they are also changing the world. 

When I became a regional minister, one of the gifts that I did not see coming, was the renewed call on my life to pray. There are just too many things in the world I can’t change on my own. Too many situations that are outside of my capacity to handle. Apart from Him, I can truly do nothing. 

And could it be that this is a call of God for us all? To become more steadfast and faithful in prayer? To lift the broken and complex world we live in before the Creator of the universe in a quiet trust that this grace afforded us to come before Him with confidence can change the world? 

We live in uncertain times. We continue to work out our faith. We seek to offer grace and stand on truth. We are trying to live with integrity and offer others mercy. We try to love people and not their sin. And all these things we do imperfectly. This is why we must pray. 

My invitation to you today is to “re-up” your prayer life. It will open your eyes to seeing the world as it really is again. God is near. He remains in control. Our battle is not against people, but evil. That which to us seems impossible is not impossible at all. 

Pray anew for your family, for your church, for your community, for the CBWC, for the ministry we do together. And then wait with me in anticipation of the ways that our simple trust in Him, and willingness to call out in faith will bring from heaven the power of God. 

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  

Ephesians 4:20-21 

What is the CBWC Settlement Office? 

The CBWC has many resources for churches and pastors. Have you heard of the Settlement Office? Run by Mountain Standard Regional Minister, Tim Kerber, and Administrative Associate, Sherisse White, the Settlement office is based out of the MSR office in Edmonton. 

What does the Settlement Office do? 

The purpose of the Settlement Office is to help churches looking for pastors and pastors looking for churches. We provide resources, advice, and direction to anyone involved in the process of hiring a new pastor to a church. We do not hire pastors for churches, that is the task of the Pastoral Search Committees at the local church, however, we walk alongside and make the process as stress-free as possible. 

Some of the resources we can provide to a church looking to hire a new pastor are: 

• CBWC Pastoral Staff Search Manual – this document provides a search committee step-by-step processes for all stages of the pastoral search. It also includes templates to use along the way. 
• CBWC Identity Statement and Ministerial Protocol Manual (MPM) – these are provided to search committees and all candidates that apply.
• CBWC Minister Information Profiles (MIP) – this comprehensive document is completed by potential candidates and includes a look at everything from ministry history, theological standings, references and personal information relevant to pastoral ministry.
• Lists of Bible Colleges and job posting sites that search committees can use to post their job description to expand their search.
• Welcome Letters to pastoral staff starting a new role and Exit Letters to pastoral staff leaving a role or retiring. These letters contain important information and resources.
• Help with screening candidates. We can review any MIPs and resumes that are sent to search committees to see if there are any “red flags.”
• Tim is available to meet with search committees in person (depending on location) and virtually to answer any questions and give advice.

The Settlement Office maintains lists of churches currently looking to fill positions and of all potential candidates that have let us know they are looking for a new pastoral position. We frequently update and compare these lists to help match up churches and pastors. 

We also work with the website Administrator for CBWC to ensure that all the posting on the careers page are up to date. The careers page is found at www.cbwc.ca/careers  To contact the Settlement Office, send an email to pastoralsettlement@cbwc.ca. We would love to hear from you and help you with your search. 

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Hannah Hamm: hhamm@cbwc.ca

Recently I sat down and had a catch-up conversation with a friend of 30 years who is grieving the tragic loss of one of her adult children—a young man taken in the prime of life where so many wonderful things were just beginning to happen.  He was married only a short time, and he and his wife had just found out they were expecting their first child. I found myself mostly without words. I could feel her pain and exhaustion as she described her grief and wrestled with questions about faith.  How does one even carry on?  

Just a day or two before this, I spent time with a pastor processing their present situation. They were experiencing significant tiredness and a sense of being overwhelmed by life. A busy family, the complexities of leading a church, caring for an extended family member, all the while trying to care for themselves, and attempting to lead by example.   

My guess is that all of us can relate to the weariness life inevitably brings.  Life just keeps coming at us. Whether it is the unexpected hardships or the daily grind, all of us experience the ebbs and flows of managing full calendars. There are times where we seem able to “fire on all cylinders” despite the busyness. But there are also times where we get overwhelmed, discouraged, anxious, or afraid. Jesus did say to us “In this world you will have trouble…”  Now, to be sure, sometimes we create our own trouble. We can overfill our calendars or overestimate our capacity; we can carry the expectations of others or ignore the signs our bodies are giving us. Realistically, not of us is invincible.   

As a regional minister, there are times where I can feel the weight of the world on me. Most of the time I get a call not when everything is sailing along but when there is uncertainty or difficulty. I am thankful that a pastor will call me when they are working something out, or need a listening ear, or simply need to know they are not alone. It is an honour to come alongside a church in a time of transition or difficulty and help them to work through a situation as best as they can. But, in all honesty, there are moments where I wrestle with the cost of what I often carry.   

By now, you might be deciding whether you wish to read any further; this just sounds depressing! So, let me take you to a familiar passage of scripture that invites us to recalibrate to Truth in the midst of the realities and challenges of life.   

‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you’. 2 Corinthians 9:7-12 (NIV)  

When Paul in 2 Corinthians speaks of a ‘treasure’,  he is referring back to verse 6 which says: ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ’. 

 By faith, we have the light of Christ in our hearts.  But… this treasure is in fragile containers. Why? To show that this power is from God and not from us. As we face the challenges of life, there is a realism we are invited to recognize. We are fragile, and anything that is fragile needs to be handled with care. But in these fragile containers resides the light and life of the God of the universe.  And so… 

The pressures of life do not need to destroy us. (We are hard pressed but not crushed.) I don’t know anyone who isn’t dealing with the pressures of this life. Relationships, finances, time management, personal health (we could make a long list…) God promises to give us strength when we are weak, and He reminds us of what is true. First, the church does not belong to us. He’s got it.  He tells us rest is a part of His plan for our lives. His burden is easy, and His yoke is light! How much are you carrying? Is it yours to carry?  

Confusion need not overwhelm us. (Perplexed, but not in despair.) In a world where we are overrun by social media, where it is hard to determine what is true, and where chaos seems to rule the day, Christ invites us to find our rest in Him. Is Christ still in control? Does He have a plan that is still in place? Are we spending time in the scriptures and with Him? Do we need to put down our phones or reorient our time?  

Opposition will not defeat us. (Persecuted but not abandoned.) In a world of increasing polarization and individuality, we can find ourselves feeling attacked from every side. We are daily being scrutinized, judged, or marginalized, but Jesus knows and has walked this road ahead of us. While we face opposition will we trust in God’s provision and plan? Do we look forward in faith? 

We may get knocked down but not knocked out. (Struck down but not destroyed.) Life will bring the unexpected. In the midst of the ordinary challenges of life there are things that take place that are just the horrible outcomes of sin and confusion in the world. Situations that we cannot tie up neatly or outline with a silver marker. But Christ in us means that His life is alive in us, and we are not alone. He will show us how and give us the ability to get back up and carry on. Will we trust God for things we cannot see? Do we believe that we grow most in the easy or in the hard?  

The call for us is to reflect the Light that already lives in us by faith. We are stewards of all that God has graciously and generously given us. We are not called to save the world, Christ already has. We are fragile so that we might recognize we were not made to go it alone. I am challenged in these days to lead in a better way. To see my work each day as a vessel for the light and life of Jesus. I don’t need to have every answer. I don’t need to meet every need. I cannot fix every situation or solve every problem. But, in faith, I can bring the Kingdom to the light in my conversations, my community, and my interactions. I can trust that God will give me all I need, and that by His Spirit He will do far more than I could ever hope for.   

Submitted by Tim Kerber, Regional Minister for the Mountain Standard Region 

Holding Hope in Unexpected Hardship–

Strathcona Baptist Church

Chris and Peggy Ward are deeply cherished members of Strathcona Baptist Church and have played a vital role in the life of SBC for many years. In May 2024, Chris first met Pastor Duane Guthrie during the pastor’s initial interview, while serving on the SBC Search Committee. Just days later, Chris suffered a devastating mountain bike accident that left him quadriplegic.  

In the wake of this life-altering event, Pastor Duane met with Chris again and was introduced to Peggy for the first time. From that moment, a journey of love, faith, and resilience began—one marked by deep grief, unwavering prayer, profound pain, and steadfast hope. For the past eight months (and counting), Chris, Peggy, and the entire SBC family have walked this road together, leaning on God and one another as they navigate the immense challenges and unexpected changes that have come to a family so dearly loved.  

In December 2024, Chris wrote his church family a letter to share some of his journey. It is a profound and honest testament to his faith and questions in the midst of this life-altering event. A congregant shared this with regional minister Tim Kerber who asked if it might be okay to share with our greater CBWC family. With Chris’s permission, here is his letter:  

“To my dear brothers and sisters in Christ at Strathcona Baptist Church, thank you so much for your love and kindness to Peggy and me over the past six months. Your many prayers and visits have truly helped carry us through many dark and difficult days. I do not understand God’s purpose in my life at this time, but I trust in His love.  

I have heard that some of you are also struggling with “how a loving God could allow this to happen?” Or “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  

For those struggling, God is with us. At times, He feels very distant and silent. A dear friend encouraged me that God is closest to us when He is quietest. I still want Him to speak with me and rescue me, but I am encouraged that He is close and understands my pain. He rejoices over us with gladness; He exalts over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). His quiet presence has helped me through some very dark and difficult days, and I pray that you will also experience God’s presence in your life.  

I am not ‘good.’ When God created man and woman he did declare us, along with all creation, good (Genesis 1:31). However, we lost our goodness as a result of the fall (Genesis 3). Man and woman, along with all of creation, can no longer claim to meet God’s standard of ‘goodness.’ What we are usually asking is not ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ but ‘Why do bad things happen to me?’ The simple answer is because of the fall. As a direct consequence of the fall, suffering and death has entered the world. This includes the unfortunate situation in which I find myself. Daily I am in prayer with God pleading with Him for physical healing and to lessen the burden. However, this is on bended knee, as a penitent sinner begging Him for mercy.  

With so many friends around the world all brothers and sisters in Christ, fervently praying for a healing miracle, why has God not responded? We are promised that “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). This is a wonderful prophecy of the suffering servant that was fulfilled by Jesus on the cross. All who believe in Jesus are healed and are restored in righteous relationship with God. We are healed from the bondage of sin. But what about physical healing? Jesus chose to heal many during His earthly ministry including a paralytic (Mark 2:1-12). He also reminded His listeners that God doesn’t just save the chosen people (Luke 4:26-27). We can’t expect a healing miracle simply because we are Christians. Jesus is aware of humanity’s weak nature. When He healed ten lepers only one came back to give thanks and praise God (Luke 17:11-19). What Jesus is seeking is a change of heart and that every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:11).  

But what about the fervent prayers of so many faithful followers, and the many visions of a physical healing? It is very hard to understand God’s will through this accident. He promises to command His angels to guard us in all circumstances (Psalms 91:11). Yet still accidents happen to all, including God’s followers. It is hard to reconcile God’s promises with the severe nature of my accident. Even if I never understand, and should God never deliver me from this burden, I will stand with the three faithful followers facing the fiery furnace and declare I will serve Him alone (Daniel 3:17). My faith is not dependent on God providing a miracle, and my prayer for you is that your faith remains strong through the time of testing.  

I am still stretched to the breaking point, and continually struggle with God to relieve the suffering, even to complete physical restoration. God promises that He will never allow us to be tested beyond our strength to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). In my anguish I have cried to God, yet He has chosen to date to leave me in my distress. So, should we give up on prayer? Not at all. God promises that you will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). One consequence of my accident has been a significant increase in my prayer life. I am much more on bended knees before God than ever before in my lifetime. My previous practice had been a short morning devotion, including a brief time for prayer, before beginning my day based on my own sense of priorities. I am now spending considerable time throughout the day in prayer, including many prayers for you, my dear friends and family. You have often been in my thoughts and prayers, as well as my own circumstances. My priorities are now more based on God and others and less on my own desires, although I still find myself being distracted from doing that which God has put on my heart. Yet, God keeps patiently calling me back to His priority for my life. God has shown me how my priorities were completely upside down from His. My prayer is that through my circumstances we can all gain a deeper appreciation for continuous prayer, spending time throughout the day seeking God’s guidance and direction in all we do.  

Through this incident God is also teaching me a lesson in patience as I wait on Him to respond. Whereas I assumed I was a fairly patient person, I have become aware just how impatient I am in certain situations. We live in a world of instant gratification. What we want is almost immediately available. When you are dependent on others to supply all of your needs, you are forced to be patient; waiting for others to respond as they are able. (Times of waiting have now become time for prayer.) We are also impatient as we wait on the Lord. Often we expect instant gratification from Him in line with our expectations of how He should respond. This is applying worldly expectations to Him. But God doesn’t act in that manner. He is waiting for us to ask Him what we need in line with His desire to give us good gifts (Matthew 7:11, Jeremiah 29:11). We must patiently and persistently ask God, day and night, to supply our needs like the persistent widow (Luke 11:7). This is not an easy lesson to accept.  

Should we give up on hope? This is what the world is telling us every day—accept your circumstances as a result of fate. But we don’t believe in a capricious God who plays chance with the destiny of people. Three times, Paul prayed that the thorn in his side be removed before God spoke to him to accept it as a demonstration of His power working through weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Until God tells me to cease, I will continually seek to be released from my suffering. I empathize with the psalm writer’s cries of lament – My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! (Psalm 22:1-2, 19).” 

Your brother in Christ,  

Chris Ward 

Reflecting the Glory of God

Back in 2018, before the pandemic, Janice Wilson, a missionary kid who had grown up alongside Greg Butt (Pastor of Northmount Baptist Church in Calgary) had an idea. Janice was an artist who had learned the skill and come to love the art of creating stained glass. In conversation, they decided to float the idea of creating a stained-glass group at the church who could create beautiful stained glass inserts for the many plain windows in the building. 

A small and enthusiastic group of congregants who had no experience in this medium engaged the idea and, with Janice’s instruction and guidance, began to create their first window.  In partnership the church, congregants, and Janice contributed to the project with the supplies of glass, lead, and tools. 

Over the past many years, the number of completed projects has grown to 7. The stained-glass group that meets in the church basement once a week has had a few people come for a season, but the core group of 4—Mary, Brandi, Shirley Ann—and Janice have remained constant. 

As the confidence and skill level of the group has grown, so has the scope of the project. They have created a couple of windows in honour of long-term serving members. They have done work on a series of windows depicting the story of the scriptures, from creation to resurrection. The project includes windows with themes such as sheep, fish, the cross and the empty tomb. 

Shirley Ann, who has grown up in the church and is the creative lead behind drawings for the windows, says that she remembers being fascinated by the stained-glass windows in the sanctuary as a child which stimulated curiosity about the stories they represented and helped cement some of the ideas presented during sermons. Stained glass and other art forms are uniquely able to tell a story and captivate the mind with the message of the Gospel.   

 Submitted by Northmount Baptist Church- Calgary, AB 

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Hannah Hamm: hhamm@cbwc.ca

Change is Necessary

By Tim Kerber, Mountain Standard Regional Minister 

As the fall of 2024 arrived, I was finally feeling like life, for me, was settling down after a long season of transition. As a regional minister of only 20 months, there was lots to learn, people and churches to get to know, and the continuous work of walking alongside congregations in many phases of change. I was beginning to feel like I was getting the hang of this… 

But, in a period of about six weeks, that settled sense was replaced with a new set of transitions to navigate. Both of our young adult children moved out of the house to pursue new opportunities, and my wife successfully applied for a new job. All of these things are “truly good,” but none the less different.  

When I was a younger man, I was inclined to go looking for things that were new and exciting. As I get older, I am amused at how “normal” and “steady” have a growing appeal to me. Sometimes, when I work with older adults, I find myself frustrated at what seems to be an unwillingness to change. There is no place for entitlement in the Kingdom of God. I have literally said this from the pulpit. May I always understand this inclination in us and never become blind to it myself!   

The truth is that life is always changing.  

I can say that, at first, I was surprised by the depth of the emotion and feelings that welled up in me; especially around my kids leaving. Letting go of your kids was something I thought I understood, but it was a whole new experience to watch my little girl fly halfway around the world. To witness my boy embrace adult life like I’d never seen before brought both pride and anxiety.  

The good news is that in all of these changes, God has been faithful, and He has begun a new work in me. When change comes, when life feels uncertain, there come amazing opportunities for growth and maturity.  

I recognized an invitation to grow in my own faith and to contemplate again what it means to love the Lord with every part of my being. I was challenged to consider where my trust is rooted. The words of Jesus, from John 5, came to mind. Jesus comes across a lame man, and, seeing into his heart, Jesus asks him, “Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6) Many of us have preached this passage before and challenged our congregants with the idea of really wanting change and healing.  

A few months ago, I shared a cartoon on my Facebook page which you will see below. We like the idea of change far more than the reality of it.  

Thankfully, God was preparing me for this season. I have been challenged by a pastor friend to engage in some spiritual disciplines which I had been neglecting. There is a renewed sense of humility I am presently working with! I have been led to podcasts that have invited me to refresh my focus and be more intentional about relationships. While, at moments, I can feel discouraged by my frailty, I do believe the fruits of the Spirit are being fed and ripened in my soul. Prayer is a growing lifeline, and scripture my nourishment.  

As followers of Jesus we know that the best leaders lead by example. Tod Bolsinger writes in his book Canoeing the Mountains, “Leadership is taking people where they need to go, and yet resist going.” (pg.124) 

Am I willing to go where I ask others to go?  

“God, I ask not for what I want, but for what You know I need.”  This is my prayer for my own life, and for the life of our pastors as they guide their congregations forward.  While it isn’t always easy, it is good, and the grace of Christ carries us as we move towards being complete in Him.  

Some Pics From the MSR Region

Calvary Community Church, Yellowknife

FBC Cranbrook

GoodTree Christian Fellowship

Finding Peace in the Peace (the Pine, Actually) 

by Doug Janzen, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Fort St John

I have been serving as a pastor at Calvary Baptist Church since the summer of 2012—first as the associate pastor for 9 and a half years, and then, upon the retirement of Michael Hayes at the end of 2021, affirmed by the congregation to the role of sole pastor. That is what we have done for almost three years now since the critical pandemic situation came to an end in early 2022. 

Calvary Baptist Church in Fort St. John, BC has had a long tradition of gathering in the summertime for a church camp weekend. For many years that meant a trip to Camp Sagitawa, about a 90-minute drive to the southwest. It has been an important part of creating and cultivating the strong identity we share as a church family. But, since the pandemic crisis, this gathering shifted location to the closer setting of the Peace Island Park Campground, located on the south side of the large steel bridge that crosses the Peace River near Taylor, BC. In our post-pandemic effort to gather as many of our people together as possible, it made a lot of sense for us to meet there instead. This camp was only a short 15-minute drive from Fort St. John. Those who were unable to join us for the whole weekend could still come out for the day and then go home to sleep in their own beds at night. This greatly improved our participation level. It also allowed us to hold our Sunday morning service at the campsite, knowing that the majority of our congregation would be able to join us there.  

Like most other churches, our community struggled through the time of social distancing, however, we have been seeing slow but steady growth in worship attendance and ministry involvement. In 2024, we have finally returned to an average worship attendance in the triple digits and over the last year our church has baptized 12 people—two on Pentecost Sunday in May, six at an outdoor pool in Hudson’s Hope in late July, and then, most recently, we celebrated baptisms in late August as part of our annual Church Family Campout. 

In preparation for this most recent event, we had t-shirts made up with the message: “Found My Peace in the Peace.” Of course, I only realized afterwards that the precise location of our camp meant that the baptisms were actually happening in the Pine River just before it joins the Peace River. However, we didn’t let that spoil the fun! 

It really was a special occasion for our church community in a number of ways. The most obvious reason being that it is always a blessing to celebrate together as people publicly identify themselves with our Lord Jesus Christ. But it was also exciting for us to join together with a sister church of the CBWC, the Peace Community Church of Taylor, BC for this event. Located to the southwest of Fort St. John, the Peace Community congregation is a daughter church of Calvary Baptist, launched in the early 1990’s. Additionally, in the late 1980’s, Calvary had helped launch the Charlie Lake Community Church, located just a ten-minute drive northwest of Fort St. John along the Alaska Highway. There is a long history of shared ministry in our region between these three CBWC affiliated churches. So, when I mentioned our plan to hold baptisms as part of our Church Campout weekend to Jonathan Amendt, the Peace Community pastor, he was keen to join us. 

On the warm Saturday afternoon of August 24, our two congregations gathered by the bank of the Pine River to baptize 6 people. Two were from the Taylor church—Joshua Carrell and Micah Amendt (Jonathan’s own young son)—and four were from our church—Emily Blanchette, Melody Blanchette, Melissa Ljuden, and Joryn Brulé. The water was pretty cold, but our hearts were greatly warmed and encouraged by the presence of more than 50 people gathered to witness the baptisms. We sang “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” as each person left the waters, wet but rejoicing. The baptisms were followed by a testimony time during the evening campfire. 

The next day we worshipped the Lord, together with Peace Community Church, as more than 100 people gathered in the morning sunshine to sing, pray, listen to the Word proclaimed, and share Communion together. It was a great way to conclude our camp weekend, and it has already sparked some conversations about doing this again next summer—perhaps even sharing the whole weekend together. Jonathan Amendt, Randy Loewen (the new pastor at Charlie Lake) and I have also begun talking about other ways we can work together as sister churches in this region. In the days ahead, we hope to see many more people finding their peace with the Lord in the Peace.     

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

Calling to Pastoral Ministry

It was during that first year at NABC that I got a phone call from my home church an hour away from school. Would I consider driving home on weekends and leading senior high youth group? It was a no-brainer. I began to work in the church, and was given many wonderful opportunities to learn, and try new things, along with receiving affirmation about my spiritual gifts. I felt affirmed and encouraged, so much so that I decided to go back to Bible School for another year. I can tell you that my positive experience with that first church, (a shout out to Deer Park Alliance in Red Deer), was what ultimately led me to pursue the path of full-time Christian ministry. Shortly into my third year, I began working as part-time youth pastor in Leduc, where I would eventually spend the better part of the next three decades. 

I do recall a moment in the spring of 1997 when I was considering the full-time pastor position in Leduc. The question of calling was forefront in my mind. Was I called to the ministry? Was I called to this church? How would I know? 

In the end, I remember a spring day when I was sitting in my car next to a park and praying through this seeming dilemma. In what is certainly one of the most audible moments in my life with Christ, I remember hearing God say to me, “Tim, these people will walk with you.” I had no idea what this meant, but it certainly felt reassuring. I was kind of hoping for something more successful like, “Tim, you will grow this church to a thousand…” But that clear moment gave me the confidence to move forward.

I was called to full time ministry as the senior pastor on July 1, 1997, and God’s words were as true as true can be. Repeatedly, these people walked with me, in the good times, and in the darkest times of my life. Together we had an amazing season of ministry and growth. I remain ever grateful for the gift of my time as pastor in Leduc.

As I write these words today, we are in a time where there seems to be fewer and fewer men and women considering the call to full-time Gospel ministry. When I speak with churches about their pastoral positions, we often talk about the increasing number of factors that today seem to play into finding a full-time pastor. In the last number of years, there has also been the increased stresses and challenges that pastors have faced during COVID, along with an increasing polarization in society at large.

To be fair, it’s not as though ministry came without its challenges before the pandemic.

But from this some questions arise: Is God still calling people to ministry? How do we discern calling? Where are the next generation of pastors going to come from? What can we do about this dilemma today?

First of all, we need to acknowledge that everyone who knows Christ as their Savior and Lord is called to serve the Lord. Martin Luther once wrote “[pastors] are neither different from other Christians nor superior to them, except that they are charged with the administration of the Word of God and the sacraments” (in An Open Letter to The Christian Nobility by Martin Luther (1483-1546)). As it says in 2 Timothy 1:9:  ⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.

Now, while the scriptures speak of the prophets and high priests in the Old Testament being named specifically, there is little in the New Testament regarding specific calling except for Paul and Barnabus. In the book of Acts, in chapter thirteen (vs.1-3), the example of being set apart for ministry is found. So, what do the scriptures say to us about calling, and ministry? Let’s begin with Ephesians 4:11-13: 

¹¹ So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Clearly these roles are one’s that God asks certain people to hold in service to His church.Furthermore, He repeatedly speaks about how these tasks are to be conducted.

¹³ What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 2 Timothy 1:13-14

2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 2 Tim. 2:2

We also see in the New Testament, a parallel between the roles of pastor, elder, and overseer. In 1 Timothy 3, we are given qualities which leaders in the church should possess  (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

Now while there may not be a special calling to full-time ministry in the sense that God elevates some people over others in this position, it is also important to see in the scriptures that this call to serve God in full-time ministry is one that must be made with discernment, clarity and affirmation. 

Pastoral ministry is a unique and often demanding role. If one is not “called” to it, then why would anyone choose it at all? I could, in all likelihood, go and do something else for equal or greater amounts of money, with less hassle, conflict, or ethical challenge. 

I think we can all agree—pastoral ministry is more than just a career choice.

While not wanting to go off on a tangent, this seems to be the right place to say:

This special calling is why I believe ordination matters. As we deal with the challenges of preaching the Gospel in this day and age where truth is being challenged, and as we walk alongside people in a complex and broken world, where complex circumstances walk into the doors of our church, it is as important as ever that we come alongside pastors and affirm and remind them of the important tasks to which they have been called. The church’s unique role in affirming and celebrating someone’s sense of personal call matters profoundly.

I can certainly think of times where I hung onto my calling, remembering that God led me to this, and would provide all that I would need to serve Him, and be a part of His redeeming work, despite the challenges before me.

So how do we discern this call?

First there is the inward call. Through his Spirit, God invites those He has called to serve His Church. But let me give a caution here. In a world where we tell people they can be whatever they want to be, and in a time of great individualism, someone’s personal sense of call needs to be tested and affirmed. Like the phrase, “God told me”; this alone is not good enough. No one should be able to self identify calling without accountability and affirmation.

Second, there is the outward/external call. One website said it well: “Baptists believe that God uses the congregation to “call out the called” to ministry. The congregation must evaluate and affirm the calling and gifts of the believer who feels called to the ministry. As a family of faith, the congregation should recognize and celebrate the gifts of ministry given to its members and take responsibility to encourage those whom God has called to respond to that call with joy and submission.” (https://calledtoministry.org/the-call-to-ministry/)

Calling and leadership does not happen in a vacuum. We are reminded of this in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

A Call to Action

I believe that we are in a season where we need to renew our conversation about calling, and begin to ask God to give us a renewed passion for Christian ministry. We need to tell the many good stories of what it is like to serve God in full-time Christian ministry. While it is not always easy, it is a rich and meaningful life.

Here are some practical things I believe we can do to begin encouraging the next generation of pastors who will lead our churches.

1. We need to identify and name the gifts we see in others. 
2. We need to invite and encourage others to pray and read.
3. We need to give people opportunities to serve/lead. 
4. We need to connect people with gifts to mentors.
5. We need to encourage individuals to pursue an education.

In essence we need to disciple people and plant seeds that we trust God will make grow. 

Last year when I was in Lethbridge at FBC for the ordination service of two of the associate pastors there, I was told the story of how their youth pastor (Kyle Merkel) had been told by his pastor—at his baptism when he was a young teen—that he would be a pastor one day.  It turns out, that his pastor was my uncle! (Rev. Walter Kerber) My uncle passed away 17 years ago this year, but how wonderful that I was able to be there to affirm Kyle’s calling, and be inspired by the example of my own uncle who saw something and, in faith, planted a seed.

God is still calling people to serve Him in full time Gospel ministry. Who in your church simply needs to have a seed planted? Whose life are you watering?

Let us together pray, and look around with eyes of faith, believing that God will provide, and that we will see a new generation of pastors who discover their calling and are raised up to lead His church for this time. 

Taking One for the Team (in Jasper)

By Roy Nickel from Jasper Park Baptist Fellowship

Editor’s Note: This article was written prior to the Jasper fire. Roy has kindly provided an update in the latest Making Connections.

The town of Jasper, Alberta is full of people from somewhere else! The predominant story is this: “I came from _________ (Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, or elsewhere) for the summer—many years ago! Our own story is similar. Joyce and I have three grown children. We lived in High River, where I was on staff at the Baptist Church. When our kids left home, we decided we would as well! We accepted a 3-month transitional post in Jasper, while seeking God’s guidance on where our next landing spot would be. Well, 3 months became nearly 12 years—and counting!

It’s the longest period of time in my life that I have lived in one place, and the longest stretch I have worked at any one place. So, what is it about Jasper that leads us to this point? The short answer is that we quickly grew to love this congregation and they, us—and when other opportunities did not pan out, the group here was quick to invite us to stay!

Our story, in order of priority, is that we love the church, we love the community, and we love the surrounding scenery. Each has a special role in our tenure here.

Jasper Park Baptist Fellowship has been around since the early 1960s. They met for Bible study in homes and for services above the Masonic Temple. When Jasper United Church planned a new building across town, the opportunity arose to buy the “Little White Church in the Rockies.” One of the early pastors, Bob Ball, envisioned a ministry to young adults and designed a lounge in the basement of the church in the style of a 1600s English inn. The Bedford Inn Coffee House ministry began. It flourished until the early 1980s. Fast forward to 2021. Jasper Lutheran Church was disbanding because of an aging congregation and dwindling numbers. A young couple who had just begun attending JPBF heard of the Lutherans’ plan to give away their iconic 100-year-old church building and adjacent manse to a local non-profit group that would benefit the community. We submitted a proposal, in conjunction with Steve Simala-Grant (director of KURIOS). Eight months later, we had an historic location in a picturesque mountain town that would become an ideal location for our gap year experience! Reaching and preparing young adults for life and ministry has been the heartbeat of this church.

The group was small but has a rich history of ministry to Jasper. Because of its size, they could manage just ¾-time salary. That necessitated my finding additional work, which happened quickly as the coordinator at the time for the Jasper Seniors Bus is a part of the church. Within weeks of arriving in Jasper, I had a part-time job. Through my time here, I have had the opportunity to work at various things, according to some of the skills I have (modest carpentry skills, fixing stuff, etc.), enabling me to help with manse and church renovations, repairs, and yard care. What I found so unique about this situation is that working an additional job brought terrific opportunities to meet many people in the community! I’ve had a chance to chat and do favours for many seniors, and I’ve come to know them and some of their family members as a result.

Having a little more time outside of church duties (full-time positions usually command all of a pastor’s time) was a very positive benefit. Jasper is a wonderful location for all kinds of outdoor activities in every season—walking, jogging, hiking, cycling, camping, canoeing, swimming, skiing (downhill, cross country, snow-boarding)—the list is nearly endless! We have done some hiking and exploring, all the while marveling at God’s creative genius and majesty!

Some spare time has allowed us both to engage in other hobbies and interests—other great entry points into the lives of our neighbours! For Joyce, it was her interest in needlework crafts, where she has built great friendships. Those of you who know me wonder why it took until now to mention motorbikes! My enthusiasm has opened opportunities to ride with many types of riders—from “biker types” to accountants and tradesmen who love to ride. Again, wonderful opportunities to build friendships with people I would not otherwise have had the chance to meet!

I was speaking with a colleague in town about how he thrived in ministry here for 27 (!) years. Together we concluded that in addition to loving our respective churches, it came down to the reality that we loved our lives outside of church responsibilities, too—which is an important element of good self-care.

Early in our time at Jasper we mused, “Wouldn’t it be cool if the Lord saw fit to allow us to minister and live here in Jasper until we retired?” How quickly the years have passed, and we are nearing that very point! Within the next year or two, we will be retiring and returning to our house in High River. How did this happen so quickly?! We love the people here, and the church experience has been the best placement in my pastoral career. This is a group that has been supportive (or at least tolerant) of my hobbies and idiosyncrasies, and believes in engaging in relationships with people outside the church. What the church and community needed meshed well with what we had to offer. We are thrilled that God has allowed us this time in Jasper.

Before long, we will be facing a transition. Who will God call next to this precious little church? It will likely be a totally different kind of personality than mine. Jasper is the sort of place that you can feel at home quickly and easily—be it a second career with a pension, or a younger couple with children. God knows. Partnering with KURIOS, the freedom to try a different perhaps unconventional approach to church ministry—all the while getting to live in a paradise that people flock to for tourism and for work experience—that’s pretty tough to beat! God brings the world to Jasper—people from over 60 countries, 40+ of the United States, and most of the provinces and regions in Canada have visited our church. We’ve literally had influence that reaches around the world!

All I can really do is speak for myself, and say that I would not trade this experience for anything, and I would not have missed this unique opportunity to serve the Lord and His church in Jasper, Alberta!

Photos from the MSR Region

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

Embracing New Technology & Integrity

By Tim Kerber

21 We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable. 2 Corinthians 8:21

The apostle Paul is talking to the Corinthians about his thankfulness for their generosity, and his intent to deliver their gift to the churches in need. But Paul also wants them to know that he is making this journey with other trusted ministers, including Titus, as a demonstration of his accountability.

What I love about this verse is the way that it reminds us about the importance of integrity as ministers of the Gospel. We are accountable to both God and to one another.

Integrity is about being honest, and living up to the moral standards we hold as truth. I find word pictures to be helpful to me, and what comes to mind is the image of a physical structure. I’m sure all of us are aware and have seen the video of the collapse of the Baltimore bridge. What we know is that its collapse was the result of the loss of its structural integrity. The Welding Institute defines structural integrity as: “… the ability of a component, structure or asset to operate at optimum level under the pressure of a load, including the weight of the asset itself.” [1]

As ministers of the Gospel, we are called to operate, lead, or shepherd as stewards of God’s call under the pressure and weight of the world in which we live. This is what we preach, week after week.

1 Corinthians 4 jumps to my mind: 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Under pressure, we show integrity, with the help and strength of God.

All of this brings me to a conversation around the developing world of Artificial Intelligence. Very quickly, we have discovered this tool, which has the seeming ability to produce vast amounts of coherent and relevant information at the click of a mouse.

Last year, as we talked about this technology as executive staff, one of our colleagues made an inquiry out of curiosity. He asked CHATGTP to write a Christian Easter Sermon. The result was quite impressive. This program spit out a message that was orthodox, clear in its progression of thought, had multiple points, with a practical application at the end. To be honest, it outstripped a few of the sermons I have preached over the years!

But here’s the problem. It was created by a computer program, created by imperfect/sinful people, and to use this sermon would lack integrity. When we stand up to bring God’s Word to our congregations, as we are not simply conveyors of information, or deliverers of content. The challenge that exists is that in the midst of a busy life, we could be tempted to allow this technology to produce messages for us, instead of creating them ourselves.

Now in the context of this article, I don’t have time to get into all the ethics and theology of this topic, but I would like to do two things. First, I would like to share with you how a few of our pastors use this technology in their ministry life. Like all things which are tools, there are some helpful times and places where we could use this. I don’t recall having met a pastor yet who was looking for things to do with their time, and so in that sense why not use something that can be of assistance in increasing our efficiency or capacity? And second, I want to direct you to the work of other who have given this more time and attention than I have been able to give. I know that you will find some thoughtful ideas and guidance from others to help you navigate this technology in your ministry.

So, in my conversations with a few of our pastors, here is some of what I discovered. I asked this question: How have you used AI to assist you in your daily ministry life? Here is a list of responses:

· Asking AI to create reflection questions for a message or devotional

· Asking AI to condense a thought or point

· Asking AI to give sermon title suggestions

· Asking AI to write a condensed summary of the message for social media

· Asking AI to create social media quotes to promote the message

· Asking AI to help write website or promotional content

· Asking AI to help create a survey

Of interest, one pastor sent me a draft document of a church policy around use of AI, drafted by AI! As I read through it, I was impressed by some of its content. Here is just a few of the things it suggested.

Under core values, it said this regarding transparency and accountability:

Decisions made using AI should be transparent, explainable, and subject to human oversight. Church employees shall be accountable for any AI systems they choose to deploy. AI use should be disclosed to supervisors and peers.

Under prohibitions it said this:

The church prohibits the use of AI technology to generate or compose sermons on behalf of clergy or leaders. Sermons are to be crafted through genuine inspiration, prayerful consideration, and the direct connection with divine guidance.

And finally, it proposed this:

Spiritual Authenticity: Sermons are seen as a sacred and personal expression of the preacher’s relationship with God. The use of AI undermines the authenticity and spiritual connection present in individually crafted messages.

Human Connection: Sermons are an opportunity for the congregation to connect with the spiritual journey of their leaders. AI-generated content lacks the depth of personal experience and human connection crucial to fostering a vibrant faith community.

Divine Guidance: The church upholds the belief that sermons should be guided by the Holy Spirit and the individual experiences and revelations of the preacher. AI lacks the divine discernment and personal connection required for this sacred task.

Not bad!

Now as far as other sources or guidance I can direct you to, I would encourage you to check out a three-article series diving deeper into the ethics and uses of AI written by a former CBWC pastor Mike Engbers. The articles can be found in the Mennonite Brethren Herald. Here is the link to the first of his articles: https://mbherald.com/developing-a-theology-of-technology/

Here is a link to an article written by Barna about how pastors use and view AI: https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-use-ai/

Finally, here is an article written by pastor Trevor Sutton that gives lots of ideas / reflection about the use of technology. Sutton has also written a book called: Redeeming Technology. Here is a link to his work: https://faithandleadership.com/the-emergence-ai-requires-ministers-be-proactive

Like the rest of the technology that we use regularly today in the life of the church, and in our ministry settings, it is important to remember that all of these things are intended to be tools. Tools are never means unto themselves. Mechanics use wrenches to fix vehicles, artists use brushes to paint pictures, and pastors use computers and the internet to assist them in leading and speaking to their congregations.

We are accountable for how we use these tools; first to the Lord and then to one another. We are not performers, and every week we demonstrate our reliance upon the Lord, for the guidance and leading of His Holy Spirit. In the moments when we are weak, we must trust in His strength. In the weeks, where the busyness has squeezed our time for preparation, we must trust that God can multiply a small offering of spiritual food. On a Sunday morning, when we are worn out or discouraged, we trust that faith as small as a mustard seed can produce a mighty harvest.

Let me finish with a quote from Billy Graham:

“Our world today is looking for men and women with integrity, for communicators who back up their ministry with their lives. Our preaching emerges out of what we are. We are called to be holy people—separated from the moral evils of the world.”

May we be wise in our use of the tools we have at our disposal, and daily seek God’s help in being people of integrity.

1. The Welding Institute, “Find out about structural integrity and failure”, The Welding Institute, 2023. Accessed Jul. 31, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://theweldinginstitute.com/Find-Out-About-Structural-Integrity-and-Failure

Around the Region

Brownfield Baptist

Laurier Heights Baptist

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

Accountability

By Tim Kerber

For me, this past year has been one of stepping back and evaluating much of what—prior to 2023—was just my “everyday normal life.” As I am no longer the pastor of my local church, one of the challenges of this year was determining who is in my core friendship group. When I was in my role as a church leader, everyone in the church was my friend. But I came to realize, as Carey Neuhoff points out in an article he wrote, that many of my friendships were positional and not relational. And to be fair, no one can maintain 180 or so relationships on an ongoing basis. And so, I began to look at my circle, and determine who was there because of the relationship. Which friendships would carry on unhindered despite my no longer having an official role? Which friends would walk alongside me, support me, and continue to pursue a relationship?

I am grateful that as I have done this whittling, I have discovered that I am surrounded by a wonderful group of people with whom I can share life and friendship. In this process, I have found myself reflecting on the importance of accountability. True friendship is not just about sharing interests, but about walking together in different seasons, with the capacity to speak into one another’s lives. There is the sharing of wisdom and experience, and the push and pull of living life together. And as followers of Jesus, this comes with an added significance, as we are brothers and sisters in Christ; part of the same spiritual family! This means that we are in this together, recognizing that our actions and decisions never affect just us. And so, we come back to accountability. For our purpose here, I will define accountability as: relationships that know one another fully and point each other to Christ by mutually loving one another as sufferers, sinners, and saints. This definition is borrowed from the Biblical Counselling Coalition.

Relationships that know one another fully and point each other to Christ by mutually loving one another as sufferers, sinners, and saints.

Often in my Christian life, I have been challenged to address my need for accountability. Is there someone who can ask me the hard questions, someone to whom I can confess my struggles and sins? Through much of my life, accountability has been presented to me as a kind of spiritual discipline. But like my role as a pastor, I would say that most often this was encouraged as a relationship of position. And the problem with this is that with position comes authority and power. The challenge is that when authority and power are involved, we are more reluctant to share all the struggles we face. We can go through the motions, answer the questions, but do we end up with a cup that is clean on the outside, yet inside remains dirty? (Matthew 23:25)

Now, I share this because I am concerned about the challenge of accountability in the world in which we live today. Our world tells us, all the time, that our business is no one’s business. And

in a world where truth is often understood as relative, or personal, it can be very easy to hide or justify sin.

In the role of pastor, which is often solo, or on a small staff team, what does accountability look like? As a Regional Minister, I often work on my own, arrange my own schedule—what does it mean for me to have accountability? Is there a role for positional accountability? Should this be what I do when I connect with pastors? And if so, what does this look like? I certainly do not want pastors dreading a phone call or visit because they fear an interrogation. Yet should this not be part of what we do together in a healthy association?

What does relational accountability look like? Who are my core people? Is this the role of my spouse, and to what extent?

I know…lots of questions, seemingly few answers. So, let me put a few stakes in the ground.

I want to begin by saying that I believe wholeheartedly that all of us need accountability in our lives. In John 8, we are told that Satan is a deceiver and the father of lies. This means that he attempts to lead us off course in an inviting and clever fashion. One degree of separation from the truth is where most trouble starts. Most sin is incubated in our minds long before it gives birth to an action that can devastate someone’s reputation, family, or career.

So, what can we do? I do believe that there is a place for institutional accountability. Many years ago, I remember reading Chuck Colson’s book, The Body, in which he shared 7 questions that he regularly asked the staff in his church. Here are those questions:

1. Have you been with a man/woman anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising?

2. Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?

3. Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material?

4. Have you spent adequate time in Bible study and prayer?

5. Have you given priority time to your family?

6. Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling?

7. Have you just lied to me?

While no list is perfect, there is something helpful and good about knowing that as part of a staff team, or church leadership team, there is regular reflection on our integrity. Without integrity, how does anyone lead? Maybe this is something you could use with a church board. Maybe it is not about going around the circle person by person, but about asking everyone to reflect on these questions, and then offering a place to discuss something if there is awareness of the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

What I appreciate is that this takes seriously our calling as leaders of Christ’s church. As 1 Peter 1:16 invites us: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

But alongside simply instituting something regularly in your church context, I want to encourage the importance of building real and honest relationships that grow into places where we are comfortable to share our feelings, thoughts, doubts, and sin. Who are the people in your life who you know will speak the truth because they care about you? Who are the friends who will love you anyways? Who are the people whose wisdom you want to glean? Who loves you, and you love back? Who are your core people? Perhaps my own discernment process, figuring out who is in my core, would be helpful to you. Can you name up to six people whose friendship goes beyond your work at church, or sports, or beyond an affinity for (fill in the blank), or for your kids’ activities?

One of my observations is that in the busyness of our lives, we are sometimes lazy about pursuing these kinds of friendships. We have all said to someone, “We should get together” but then never made any real effort to follow through. We all “know” lots of people, but do we “know” anyone? And who “knows” us? Let me suggest that most people want more significant relationships than they actually have. What about scheduling a coffee once a month with one of these friends? For pastors, local ministerial groups can be one of the places where these kinds of relationships are fostered or begun.

My hope is that you are picking this up; I believe there is a need for both positional and relationship accountability. Discernment needs to come at the level of determining how this is done. Church leaders and staff need to know this is for edification, and not interrogation. Leaders need to lead by example.

So perhaps, for those of us in leadership roles who can institute positional accountability, our task is not only to have regular times in which we ask or reflect on specific questions, but also a times to ask others about their relationships. Do you have significant friendship(s) that give you a place to talk about how you are really doing? When was the last time you got together with one of these people?

John Wesley kept a list of questions that he used with a small group. I find his questions are helpful to me as I reflect on my own life, and that he asks some rather astute questions. Perhaps there is something here for you:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass onto another what was told me in confidence?

4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?

5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

7. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?

8. Am I enjoying prayer?

9. When did I last speak to someone about my faith?

10. Do I pray about the money I spend?

11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12. Do I disobey God in anything?

13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?

16. How do I spend my spare time?

17. Am I proud?

18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?

19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward, or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it?

20. Do I grumble and complain constantly?

21. Is Christ real to me?

As we seek to be God’s people in this broken and needy world, may we walk with honesty and integrity, realizing that we need God’s help, which He often provides in the gift of one another to help us stay the course.

Pastor Thomas Henry at One Accord in Edmonton

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

Being Changed by Christ

Rev. Tim Kerber

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had the opportunity to participate in a course put on by the Transitional Leadership Network. The course is basic training for those interested in transitional ministry; helping churches to assess their spiritual health and inviting them to address any areas of need prior to the process of inviting a new pastor to permanently join them.

My class was made up of pastors and denominational leaders from all over Western Canada, along with a few classmates from south of the border. I found the course to be insightful, and I appreciated learning new tools that I can add to my toolbox as I walk alongside churches in the settlement process.

But perhaps the greatest takeaway from the course for me was not the useful and pragmatic tools that I was given, but a renewed sense of hopefulness for the church, and the reminder for me to live in faith. HOPE – The church belongs to Jesus, nothing can overcome it, and we can trust Him with it. FAITH – My role is to live into my calling, to use my gifts, to be a good steward, and to invite others to discover life in Jesus, too.

So often in the day-to-day work many of us do in the church, whether as pastors or lay people, we are working on the pragmatic tasks of the church. Who can we ask to lead the care ministry, cut the lawn, or work in the nursery? Is there anyone who has the technical savvy to oversee our livestream, or run our media on Sunday mornings? We need to update our bylaws and ensure our child safety policy is up to date…. And while these things all have their place, and do in fact matter, sometimes, the tail wags the dog.

We forget, or perhaps more accurately, I forget that the most important thing for me as a leader in the church of Jesus Christ, is to be His follower; to be daily looking to Him, listening for His voice, and recognizing my need for Him to change me.

There is no more powerful testimony to the truth of the Gospel, than that we are first being changed by Him. In the church where I was privileged to serve for almost 30 years, our mission statement for many years included the phrase: “Being changed by Christ, to change the world.” The order matters.

In Luke chapter 6, we find the story of Jesus choosing His disciples. In verse 12 of that chapter, it says: One day soon afterward, Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and He prayed to God all night. Jesus began this significant task, by spending time in communion with His Father. When I look at the motley crew He chose after praying all night, I can only believe that Jesus was deeply in tune with the will of God. Human wisdom would have led to some vastly different choices.

And so, my question for us all today is: how are we being changed by Christ? What is God doing in your life right now? What area of your life do you know needs addressing? Most of our sins happen in our hearts and minds, and no one around us sees it. We have idols, not made with wood and stone, but secrets, compulsions, deals we have made with ourselves, stories we tell ourselves, that keep us from living in freedom.

In our churches, we share testimonies about how we came to know Jesus. Rarely are these uninspirational stories. But if you were asked to share your testimony today, what would you share about the shaping work God has done in your life over the last year, the last few years? Could you talk

about how your life is continuing to be shaped through the power of God, as you live in relationship with Him? How are you changing in the present, so that you might have an impact on the world?

As a father to young adults, one of my continuous prayers is that my kids will see change in me. That they will look back on our life together and remember how dad used to have a much quicker temper. That they will recall how dad’s critical spirit doesn’t show its ugly head nearly as often anymore. That they will recognize how I love others in a way that doesn’t seem rational. My prayer is that they will see the work Jesus is doing in me, and that this testimony will inspire them to want to know Jesus more.

If we want to see revival and change in our churches, I believe that it will need to begin with us.

One of the great blessings of serving as the regional minister has been that I recognize daily my deep need for Jesus. It drives me to prayer, and to reliance upon God. I want to be changed, so that I can join with you in experiencing the powerful life changing work of God in our churches.

What a great place to be.

Living in the Smoke

The Evacuation of Yellowknife in the Summer of 2023

Randy Loewen and his wife, Kim, and their three teenage children have been pastoring at Calvary Community Church in Yellowknife for 7 years. This church of 80 attendees was among the 20,000 residents of the capital city of the Northwest Territories that were called to evacuate their homes in the summer of 2023.

This year the summer seemed to start early with unusually warm temperatures earlier and lasting longer than previous years. The summer started with three forest fires around Yellowknife that had the potential to close in on the city. The air was full of smoke all summer, which was challenging for everyone’s wellbeing, especially physically. Those who had respiratory issues were greatly challenged.

As the summer started, one of the Indigenous communities nearby was evacuated and then for 3 weeks the only road in and out of Yellowknife was periodically closed. Randy and his family left Yellowknife on August 6th for a preplanned family vacation with their RV. The city of Yellowknife was given an evacuation order on August 16th. The fire was coming dangerously close to the city.

As people were evacuated the city, members of Calvary Community Church were spread out across Alberta and one flight out was even sent to Winnipeg. Those who flew out did not know where they were going until the plane was ready to take off and the pilot made an announcement with the destination. The church family was able to stay connected through a closed Facebook group. They could check in with each other and be encouraged. Randy worked on contacting anyone who was not on Facebook to make sure they were okay and had the help they needed.

During the evacuation, many of the pastors, churches, and staff of the CBWC reached out and were a great encouragement to Randy and the church.

On September 6th, Yellowknife residents were finally cleared to go home. Randy and his family returned on September 8th after having originally planned to be home from their vacation on August 26th. Randy described the drive back to Yellowknife as sobering as they drove past the destruction on the side of the highway. There were kilometers of burnt forest leading up to the bridge that crosses the Mackenzie River. Everything was a complete wasteland. The fires had come within 15km of the city of Yellowknife.

Getting back into town was a mix of excitement and feeling of “What is going to happen now?” It was quieter than usual and there was a sense of relief that everything was still there.

However, that relief was tempered by the sobering drive back to the city where they had seen all the destruction.

As people started to come back home, opportunities to serve became known. Kim, Randy’s wife, is great at connecting with people through social media. She made sure that everyone had what they needed. Kim connected with a single mom working at the school next to the church and found out that while the teachers and staff were preparing at the school for classes to start there was no childcare available to them. Daycare and day homes were not yet open, so Kim and her kids opened the doors of the church and invited any staff from the school who needed childcare until classes started. Fourteen kids came and spent those days at the church. After this offer of service, Kim has continued these new friendships with school staff and has had opportunities to share her faith and pray with them.

There have also been other opportunities in the community for connection. On the first weekend back, Randy and Kim had a date night at a local restaurant and were able to share stories and encouragement with the waitress who served them. People have been open to talking about their stories of this experience. It has become clear that the mental and emotional toll of this experience weighed heavy on many people.

Coming out of this experience, Yellowknife also seems to have a stronger sense of community. Some relationships have been mended. The story has been told of rival construction companies coming together to build fire breaks to stop the spread of the fires.

There are also some people in the city who have mixed emotions and are making decisions about whether to stay in the city or move. Some of the homeless population that was in Yellowknife are still lost in Edmonton and Calgary and efforts are being made to find them and bring them back.

This whole experience has also come with some searching questions. What is our place as the church? The community and government supports in place are helping people with the practical realities of the evacuation and coming back. Where does the church fit in the midst of that? We are there to fill the spiritual needs of people. We need to be intentional in stepping into the place of spiritual support. Going forward, it will be figuring out how to stay connected with the community.

The lesson learned through all of this is that every situation is in God’s hands. We need to trust that he is in control.

Making Connections LIVE—Calgary & Edmonton

On October 11th and 12th, Crescent Heights Baptist, Calgary, AB, and Strathcona Baptist, Edmonton, AB, hosted Making Connections LIVE. It was a great time to connect and share in discussions! 

Click the arrows to view each slide below. 

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

Shaped by People and Places

MSR Regional Minister, Tim Kerber

Many years ago, I came across a small book called, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography. It was written by Kathleen Norris, a journalist, who after forging a career in New York city had moved to a small town in south Dakota to wind up the estate of her late grandmother. What was intended to be a short sabbatical ended up becoming permanently home. In her book, she shares how the geography of the plains began to shape her, and even inform her faith.

Over the past number of months, I have had the opportunity to get into my car and begin discovering the places in Alberta/BC where we have CBWC churches. I have found something of a similar experience to what I read about in that book. As I cover hundreds of kilometers, and drive into new communities, I can begin to see how people and churches have been shaped by the places they live. I am given a sense of how each one of these congregations has been shaped by where they are and has developed their own personality. It is fascinating to see how churches are impacting their communities in unique ways with the power of the Gospel.

When I drove into the Peace Country, there was a sense of the vastness of space, a reminder of how big God is, a sense of His immense majesty. There are rolling hills, and vast stretches of forest, deep river canyons, and beautiful lakes. And there you find churches–sometimes in cities, sometimes in rural or small-town locations–addressing the needs of their communities. Some are ministering to the poor in their location, reaching out with offers of practical help and care. Some have begun ministering to newcomers, creating a welcome space to care for those calling this their new home. Others have thriving ministries to kids, inviting them to come and learn about Jesus. “Up there,” I find a sense of adventure among the people, a recognition of needing one another, juxtaposed with some rugged independence.

When I drove into the southern part of the province, there was the wide-open swaths of prairie, allowing you to see for “miles and miles.” As you drive past open ranges full of cattle, and fields being planted with crops, you get a sense of this being the breadbasket where so much of what we enjoy comes from. And all of this is happening with the breathtaking background of the Rocky Mountains. Here you find churches engaging with their communities, making spaces for the broken and lost to find hope. There are books clubs, Bible studies, and intentional efforts to engage their communities. There is a warmth here; people genuinely welcome you. And while there is great value placed in a good day’s work, there is also an easiness and openness to sitting down for a visit with a cup of coffee. We have country churches, and urban churches, small town churches, and big city churches. We have historic congregations and brand-new ones. We have ethnic churches from around the world. It has been a privilege for me in only such a short time to have the chance to join Caribbean, Chinese, Filipino, and Korean congregations in times of worship and celebration. And with each experience, I discover that there are things I have yet to learn about how God is at work in these beautifully different contexts. While there are still many places to see and to visit in person, (If this is you, I’m going to come!) I am recognizing that one of the most important things I can do is to listen and be attentive to where God is taking me each week. Where is God at work? What is He doing here? How is He speaking to these folks in this time?

But what is also amazing, is that for all the immense diversity I see as I travel the province, the Gospel of Jesus, and His hope remain relevant and alive in each and every location. As churches are faithful to their calling, God is using them to uniquely reach those who He has put in their paths.

The Bible verse that comes to my mind as I consider this is Acts 1:8: 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Everywhere I go, I meet witnesses. It has been a joy and a blessing. And I have no doubt, that as I go, God is shaping me, forming me, as I humbly listen and join with others, in offering the hope of Jesus to the world.

CBWC Mountain Standard Region Camps

Gull Lake Camp

Camp is happening! 

At Gull Lake Centre we are currently in the middle of our Leadership Training and Discipleship (LTD) week. We have 79 leadership students in class this week learning about the Kingdom of God and how to run camp. Our LTD students make a three-year commitment and get to learn about identity in Christ, critical thinking, communication, practical leadership, Christian practice, and biblical literacy. These 79 students will be our junior leaders for the summer and are accompanied by our 53 summer staff who will guide, mentor, and care for our 1100+ campers that we will serve in the next two months.

Please pray for our leaders that they would serve well with humble hearts as they grow in their skills and confidence, as they grow in their relationships with others, and most importantly as they grow in intimacy with the Lord.

Please pray for our campers that they would encounter Jesus in a way that changes their life forever, just like I did when I came to camp as a 15-year-old camper.

I cannot describe how much your prayers mean to us.  Thank you for caring and interceding on our behalf.

Grace and Peace,
Steve Roadhouse
Director

Camp Wapiti 

Camp is going really well at the moment. We celebrated Camp Wapiti’s 60th anniversary a little while ago by holding a dinner fundraiser event, which was a great boost for the camp. We also have held a couple of volunteer workbees that have helped prepare the camp for this upcoming season! Set-up and prep mode for the camp is in full swing, which has been very busy, but also very good. It has been a blessing to see the many different ways the Lord has provided for us through funding, staff applications, volunteer support, and camper registration in the past few months. We have over 200 camper registrations already, and have multiple of our camps full, so praise the Lord for that! We also have already hired the majority of our paid staff that we need for the summer, which is almost unheard of to have this early for us!

Please pray for Camp Wapiti to receive volunteers. Currently we are short on a lot of volunteer positions, which will be needed during the summer. Please pray for wisdom for our staff team to lead this summer. Please also pray for the campers that come this summer, that their lives would be changed forever, and that they would encounter God in new and meaningful ways!

Sincerely,
Austin Wooden
Director @ Camp Wapiti

Mill Creek Baptist Camp

As summer nears we have been doing many work projects including some demolition with the help of volunteers. We have also had a few unexpected and major financial costs/repairs happening, and so would appreciate prayer for the finance side of camps. However, we are happy to say that all of our staff positions are filled and we are excited to welcome campers very soon!

Please pray for our staff as they minister to campers this summer, and for the campers that they would encounter the love of God in a meaningful way that would stick with them.

Cara Horwood
Director
Mill Creek Baptist Camp

Ministerials: The Connections Point for Pastors and Chaplains

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

In the CBWC, the support of our ministers is a top priority. Often times being in ministry can feel isolating and lonely. Pastors and Chaplains need support, community and connection with other ministers. One of ways CBWC provides this is through Ministerial meetings as part of the Investing in Relationship initiative.

In the Mountain Standard Region, there are 5 Ministerial areas: Peace Country, Edmonton, Central, Calgary and the South. Pastors and Chaplains have the opportunity to meet with the Tim Kerber, the Regional Minister, and other ministers regularly. With ministers spread out over a wide area in the Peace Country, these meetings are held through Zoom and there is an in-person gathering at least once a year.

The Central, Calgary and South Ministerials meet every season at various locations. These meetings are often followed by a lunch shared together. The Edmonton Ministerial meets for coffee and treats once a month, with a break for the summer, at one of the area churches.

During these Ministerial meetings there are times of teaching, sharing experiences of how God is working in lives and churches, and encouragement through prayer times. We encourage all ministers to join in the Ministerial meetings of their area. Contact the Regional office to find out when the next meeting is.

Pictures from around the Region

Greenhills Calgary

Evangelical Edmonton

Charlie Lake

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca

This is officially my first article as Regional Minister for the Mountain Standard area. It has been a whirlwind of learning and getting to know the constituency, and I have really enjoyed it!

As I have met with pastors, elders’ boards, and cluster groups, I find myself humbled by the faithful and diligent people who are working and volunteering,

giving their time and talents, and using their spiritual gifts in service to their churches and communities.

I am grateful for the work of Dennis Stone, with whom I was able to overlap during the month of January. Dennis provided me with a good foundation, and an understanding of the region and its unique place in our union. Dennis’ friendship and experience will be missed. I am also thankful to the executive staff team who have provided their wisdom and support to me as I learn the ropes. 

On one of our final days together, Dennis told me he had one more place he wanted to take me. On a cold sunny afternoon, we drove into Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Edmonton where we trudged through the snow to find the grave of Gospel Pioneer Alexander McDonald. Dennis wanted me to know where we came from. In the late 1800’s, McDonald arrived in Winnipeg with a passion to bring the Gospel to the western region of the newly united Canada. In his time, he would plant 10 churches, and see the beginnings of the BUWC, among other things.

The wonderful church in Leduc that I pastored for the last 28 years, was born, grown, and formed by the hand of God under the leadership of those who preceded me. Leduc was never “my church.” I was simply the steward of Christ’s church for that season, and my responsibility was to be faithful to His call. Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 3 come to mind: ⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

Our calling has not changed. Like Pioneer McDonald, we are still living in a world that needs to know the life changing message of Jesus. While the west isn’t “wild” like we imagine it to have been back then, the realities of living in our complex and fast changing world, continue to present opportunities for great faith. People are no less in need of the power of the Gospel than they ever were. The challenges certainly look different, but the brokenness of humanity remains the same, and people are still desperate for a foundation on which to build their lives. 2 Corinthians 5 reminds us: ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ²¹ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,^[e] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Finally, I am struck by the fact that the game isn’t over. At our winter retreat at Gull Lake, Wil Rogan, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Carey, asked a question in conversation during one of our sessions. “What if we are still the early church?” I’ve reflected on that a lot. What is my role, my calling, in this time, in the middle of the game? I don’t say game to be trite, but I realize that I’m on a team, in the middle of a game, working towards a goal. And my role, is to do my part, and to use my gifts. There is a time to pass the ball and a time to take the shot. I must also encourage my teammates and recognize when to take a turn on the bench. Great teams not only have good players on the floor, but a deep bench to draw from. The game is not over, we are still in it.  Faith is inviting us not to give up, but to work together, and show the world that the Gospel is real. Jesus prayed in John 17,

¹⁸ Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. ¹⁹ And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.

²⁰ “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. ²¹ I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of Baptists, I recommend the following books:

• The Baptist Union of Western Canada:  A Centennial History 1873-1973,  J.E. Harris, 1976
• Pioneering in Western Canada: A Story of the Baptists,  Rev. C.C. McLaurin D.D.  1939.  

In my few short months as a regional minister, I have had the chance to talk with a number of our pastors about either their experience on sabbatical, or their desire to take one. As I thought about this, it seemed like sharing some sabbatical experiences might be insightful, and instructive to others. There is certainly value in planning and preparation, but also the need to be flexible when things don’t go as planned. So, I have invited some of our colleagues to share their experience of sabbatical with us. The two experiences you will read are very different, and remind us that even on sabbatical, life happens.

Jeff Gullacher (Lead Pastor -Trinity Baptist, Sherwood Park)
I had the privilege of taking a sabbatical from June – September 2022. It was structured around four major themes: rest, spiritual renewal, re-tooling for ministry, and wise re-entry into my role. Each one of those themes had a desired outcome and multiple activities to work at. I had not yet had a sabbatical, so I consulted with trusted people to craft a good plan for ministry coverage and sabbatical activities. When June arrived, I did not set an alarm clock for four months. What a treat! Though my days varied considerably, I often spent the morning hours in reading or courses, the afternoon in recreation, and evenings with family. As I reflect upon my sabbatical, a few blessings and benefits stand out. It was a timely reset from crisis-management mode that typified the pandemic, into a more sustainable mode of pastoring. Secondly, I seized an unexpected opportunity to chaperone my daughter’s handball team to a tournament in Denmark. There are so many cherished memories from that trip! Another blessing was being an online attendee of the E.K. Bailey Preaching Conference, which was a preaching conference by black preachers, primarily for black preachers. In one word: wow! Lastly, an audio course on various prayer practices gave me tools and a desire to refresh my prayer life going forward. I am so grateful that our church gave me this four-month time of rest and refreshment. If you have been considering a sabbatical, let me suggest a few things. Encourage your church board to nurture a culture of sabbath-taking. Encourage them to develop sabbatical policy for the sake of its pastors present and future. Strategically prepare your congregation for your sabbatical by challenging your lay people into significant leadership. For example, we developed a preaching lab of lay people who did most of the preaching in my absence. They did an amazing job! Lastly, make a good and wise sabbatical plan, but hold it with loose hands. It is more important to get rest and refreshment than to justify (self-justify?) your sabbatical by accomplishing a large list of activities.

Peter Ma (Lead Pastor – McLaurin Baptist, Grand Prairie)
What do you think about when I say sabbatical? Rest? Renewal? Recreation? Learning? Yes, and Amen. That was my plan in the fall of 2022. McLaurin graciously give me a four-month rest. I had planned retreats, some learning objectives, and a whole lot of rest. The goal was a reset—physically, mentally, and spiritually. I was very tired and very much looking forward to the time. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. I am not sure the passage applies, but the sabbatical was anything but what I had planned. The sabbatical began with an MRI that led to an urgent cervical spinal fusion surgery (6-8 week recovery). Just when I was beginning to feel better, my brother called me to inform me that our mother had passed away. Now, the light at the end of the tunnel was a family trip to Hawaii during Christmas, a trip that we had been planning for the entire year—a once in a lifetime thing. On the day that we were to fly, we were informed that our flight was cancelled (thanks to the Vancouver snowstorm), and the chance of getting another flight was zero! FURTHER…we learned that we would not get fully refunded for the trip… somehow that just did not come as a surprise after all that had happened! A fitting end to the Sabbatical?

What can I say? Nothing we planned turn out. Instead, I learned and gained a much deeper understanding of disappointment and struggle. Psalm 46 has been my anthem (or any of the Psalms of David); Be still and know that I am God. The psalmist says “be still” to himself and over himself because the world around him is not still—there is war and enemies and strife and natural calamities and sickness. More often than not, we do not find God on the mountain tops but rather in the trenches. For that I am thankful and glad. He is with me in all circumstances. When January rolled around, I wanted a sabbatical from my sabbatical, but the truth is God is meeting me where I am at, as I am still in the process of resetting some things in my life. It is a slower process than I had hoped for, but everything in God’s timing.

If you have any questions, please contact me or to speak to your regional minister. I would be happy to provide you with some direction, and samples of sabbatical policies if your church doesn’t have one already. You can also feel free to contact those whose stories you will read. I’m sure they would be happy to chat further.

Tim Kerber, Mountain Standard Regional Minister

2023 Mountain Standard Regional Retreat

After two years of not being able to gather for the annual Mountain Standard Regional Retreat, it was refreshing to be at Gull Lake Centre again. For three days in February, 33 Pastors, Chaplains and CBWC Staff from the Mountains Standard Region gathered for times of worship, teaching, reflection, fellowship, and great food.

The retreat started out with a Spiritual Reflection Workshop lead by Peter Anderson, CBWC Director of Next Generation Ministries. Peter invited participants to take part in Experiential Worship Stations. Some of the stations included opportunities for confessions, focused prayer, listening for God’s voice, thanksgiving, admiring creation, and contemplation. Each station was interactive, and all of the senses were engaged. This was a great way to start our time together.

Dr. Wil Rogan from Carey Theological College was the retreat speaker this year. He came from sunny California to the cold of winter at Gull Lake. Wil used repetitive scripture reading, discussion and reflection time to bring those present to the question of “Jesus, Where Are You Staying?” Through the Gospel of John’s stories of Nathanael, the Samaritan Woman, the Man Born Blind, and Mary, retreat guests were challenged to examine how Jesus met with them and how he meets with us today.

The retreat also provided times of rest, refreshment and, of course, floor hockey and archery tag. Awards were given to Matthew Hirch for the “Loudest Elimination in Archery Tag,” to Tyler Graftaas for the “Best Floor Hockey Player That Wasn’t Tim Kerber,” and to Randy Loewen for the “Best Player Wearing an Oilers Jersey.”

Gull Lake Centre is one of the camps associated with CBWC, and it was great to be in the beautiful setting and facilities there. We are blessed to have camps that we can support and promote.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipient Pam Richards

On March 14, 2023, one of our long-serving CBWC pastors was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. Pam Richards served as Co-Lead Pastor at Strathcona Baptist Church for 18 years. She has also spent the last 12 years as the CBWC representative on the Edmonton Interfaith Housing Society.

Rachel Notley, who presented Pam with the award, said, “Her efforts have improved the lives of countless vulnerable Edmontonians, providing them with shelter, resources, and hope for a better and brighter future.”

“Pam’s leadership and dedication serve as an inspiration to others, showing how one person’s commitment to making a difference; can have a very powerful ripple effect.”

Pam encourages everyone around her to see the needs of others and work to help and encourage them. Congratulations on this award, Pam. Thank you for being an example of Christ’s love to our neighbours and to us.

Photos From Our Region

Strathcona Baptist

Southgate Baptist

This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca